Smyrna times., 1887-07-27

o O'Ai PetiliiA4OHI VI cOlu mea
: He enjoys his dinner well, taking wit
l his meat large proportion of vegeta
I bles.
lie has strong preference for tn
wines of the Continent of which he ha
many sorts of excellent quality, havin
been more than commonly successful
IN his mode of importing and preserv
ing them.
Among others we found the follow
ing which are very rare in this country
and apparently not at all injured BY
transpOrtation---L'Ednau, Muscat
Samian and Blanchette de Lemousc
Dinner is served in half Virginian, hal
French style, in good taste and abun
dance. No wine is put on the table
until the cloth is removed.
In conversation Mr.. Jefferson is easv
and natural and apparently not ambi.
tious, tits not loud, as challenging gen.
eral attention, but usually addressed
to the person next him. The topics.
when not selected to suit the character
and feelings of his auditor, are those
subjects with which his mind seems
particularly occupied, and these at
present may be said to be science and
letters and especially the University of
Virginia WHICH is coming into existence
almost entirely from his exertions and
will rise it is to be hoped to national
usefulness.
When we were with him. his favOrate
subjects were Greek and Anglo Saxon.
also historical recOllections of the times
and events of the Revolution and of his
residence in France from 1884 to 1889.
Such from the graphic pen of Daniel
Webster is by all odds the best portrait
OF Thomas Jefferson now extant: in
each case is it more dissimilar than
when placed in comparison with his
well known effigy. There has seldom
been sOunder constitution than his.
nor one less abused. Yet of all things
he dreaded, it was the fear of living to
doting old age. He enjoyed the tenn
perature of summer, but winter had
terrors for him that could not be
shaken of. In the spring of 1926 he
was fully conscious that his end was
approaching and that Land" was in
sight, relief from a doting old age"
On the 24tE of June he was still well
enough to write long letter in reply
to an invitation to the fiftieth celebra-
ton of the 4th of July at Washington.
"All eyes" he wrote with trembling
hand indeed, but with heart buoyant
and alert, Are opened, or opening to
the rights of man." The general
spread of the light of science has already
laid open to every view the palpable
truth, that the mass of mankind have
not been born with saddles on their
backs nor a favored few booted and
spurred ready to ride them legitimatelv.
by the grace of God.
Towards the end of June he sank !
rapidly, the scenes and stirring events
OF the revolutionary period kept recur- |
ing to him. During the 3rd of july he
dozed hour after hour, under the influ-
ence of opiates, rOusing occasionally
and uttering few words. 1t became
that his end was now near and
4 ferVent desire arose in all minds that
he should live until the day which he
had assisted to consecrate half a century
before. He, too, desired it. At eleven
n the evening N. P. Trist, the Young
husband of one of his grandchildren
iat by his pillow watching his face and
urning every minute towards the slow
moving hands of the clock dreading
est the Pickering flame should 90 out
'efOre midnight. "This is the Fourth ?''
whispered the patriot. Mr.. Trist
'ould not bear to say, no not yet, so he
emained silent. This is the Fourth ?"
gain asked Mr.. Jefferson in whisper.
Mr.. Trist nodded assent.
"Ah!" he breathed, and an expression
# satisfaction passed over his counte-
ance. Again he sunk into sleep. Mid
light passed the morning ofthe Fourth
anne, he still breathed and occasion
lily indicated desire by words or
ooks. AT twenty minutes to one in
be afternoon he ceased to live.
-mong Mr.. Jeferson's papers was
'und a rough sketch of stone to
lark his grave on the crest of Month
clio. He designed it to be an obeIisk
granite eight feet high with this in
,ription: s
Here was Buried
THOMAS JEFFERSON q
Author '
of the Declaration of d
AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE t
OF e
The Statute of Virginia a
For Religious Freedom, and C
Father of the University
of Virginia.